Island



(No Model.)

J. A. MURPHY.

SGAFFOLD BRACKET. I No. 539,483. Patented May 21, 1 895.

UNIT D ST TES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN A. MURPHY, OF NEWPORT, RHODE ISLAND, ASSIGNOR, BY DIRECT AND MESNEASSIGNMENTS, TO GEORGE H. KELLY, JR., TRUSTEE, OF

SAME PLACE.

SCAFFOLD-BRACKET.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 539,483, dated May 21,1895. Application filed March 22, 1895. Serial No. 542,829. (No model.)

Island, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inScaffold-Brackets, and I do declare the following to be a full, clear,and exact description of the invention, such as will enable othersskilled in the art to which it ap-- pertains to make and use the same,reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters ofreference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in brackets for ladders; and itconsists in a bracket which can be made to extend from either side ofthe ladder, combined with a curved brace that supports the outer end ofthe bracket, and a cross piece provided with hooks to catch over theround of the ladder, and a catch through which the lower end of thebrace extends, as will be more fully described hereinafter.

The object of my invention is to provide a bracket which may be made toextend from either side of the ladder, and upon which bracket a suitablescaffold may be erected so that workmen may move back'and forth upon thebracket in perfect safety while doing work of any kind upon the side ofa house; and to so construct the brackets that they can be adjusted atany desired angle.

In the accompanying drawings, which represent my invention, Figure 1 isa side elevation of two of the brackets applied to two ladders and ascaffold extending between the two. Fig. 2 is a perspective of one ofthe brackets alone applied to a ladder.

A represents an ordinary ladder, and B the bracket applied thereto, andupon which one end of the scaffold is supported. Each bracket consistsof two arms, pivoted together at their outer ends so as to be adjustableto ladders of different widths, and which arms are provided with thehooks d, at their inner ends to catch around the two uprights of theladder, just above the round. This round of the ladder serves to supportthe bracket at its inner end, and to help support one end of thescaifold.

Each bracket extends outward any suitable distance, and is provided withan upturned end to prevent thescaffold from slipping off from any cause.7

To the outer end of each bracket is pivoted a curved brace G, whichserves to support the bracket in position, and which is provided at itslower end with a series of perforations by means of which the angle ofthe bracket and platform, or scafiold, can be regulated at will. Securedto the cross piece 0, is the loop J, through which the lower end of thebrace passes, and through the brace is passed a pin Q, as shown.

. The cross bar 0, extends across the front of the ladder, and issupported in position by the two hooks Y, which catch over the top ofone of the rounds of the ladder, as shown. The downward pressure of thebrace serves to force the crossbar against the front of the ladder, sothat instead of the weight of the scaffold coming upon the round of theladder, it is distributed between the two uprights.

These brackets are designed to be used in pairs, as shown in Fig. 1,.andthe scaffold extends across between them. By raising or lowering thelower ends of the braces, the scaffold can be made to set level, or itcan be raised at either one of its edges. Should the inclination of theladders be considerable, the two brackets maybe reversed upon theladder, and thus made to project from its inner side, and the scaffoldthus be brought nearer to the house.

As will be seen, the bracket and the crossbar are merely hooked over thetwo rounds of the ladder, and hence the bracket, as a whole, has but tohave its four hooks disengaged, and it can be adjusted higher or lowerupon the ladder, or applied upon the opposite side.

Having thus described my invention, I claim 1. A ladderbracket,consisting of a bracket which is hooked at its inner end uponthe two uprights of the ladder, combined with an adjustable brace forsupporting the outer end of the bracket, and a cross bar provided withhooks for catching over the round of the ladder, and provided with meansfor holding the lower end of the brace, substantially as shown.

2. A bracket for supporting the end of a scaffold upon a ladder,consisting of the two hooked arms for catching upon the two uprights,combined with a brace, and a cross bar which is applied to the side ofthe ladder; the cross bar being provided with means to suspend it fromone of the rounds of the ladder, and means for engaging with the lowerend of the brace, substantially as described.

3. The bracket, provided with hooks at its inner end to catch over theedges of the upright of the ladder, and just above one of the JOHN A.MURPHY. \Vitnesses:

Monvnn THOMPSON, C. W. CURTIS.

